Aircraft-landing strip device

ABSTRACT

A floating landing strip of miniature size having floating supporting legs of a shape and spaced sufficiently from one another to withstand violent ocean currents, with the supporting legs long enough to impart buoyancy to the entire structure while concurrently including a large amount of water in the base of the legs imparting stability to the entire structure even during violent storms, the upper pier structure including a turntable air-strip having a series of aligned variable speed surfaces for facilitating take-off and landings of aircraft, together with series of blowers and a series of baffles aligned along the series of variable speed air-strip surfaces such that the blowers and baffles are produceable of air currents further facilitatable of take-off and landings of air craft by directing the air current in the path and/or against lift surfaces of the aircraft, such as an airplane particularly of the jet plane variety.

[451 Dec. 4, 1973 AIRCRAFT-LANDING STRIP DEVICE [76] Inventor: Leon Mednikow, 290 9th Ave., New York, NY. 10001 22 Filed: Nov. 23, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 201,338

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 158,893, July 1,

52 US. Cl. 114 415, 114/5 D 51 1111. C1 1163b 35/50 58 Field of Search 114/435, .5 D, .5 F; 244/114 R, 110 E; 61/465 [56] References Cited UNiTED STATES PATENTS 3,673,973 7/1972 Glaster l14/43.5 3,605,669 9/1971 114/.5 D 2,972,973 2/1961 114/43.5 2,107,886 2/1938 114/43;5 1,892,125 12/1932 114/435 1,478,747 12/1923 244/110 E 3,544,044 12/1970 244/114 R R15,758 2/1924 244/110 E 2,522,667 9/1950 244/114 R 1,824,346 9/1931 244/110 E 3,241,324 3/1966 61/465 2,238,974 4/1941 114/435 1,341,677 6/1920 114/43.5 1,511,153 10/1924 Armstrong. 114/43.5 1,813,986 7/1931 Breeze 114/43.5

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 243,982 7/1960 Australia 244/114 R 2/1964 Germany 244/114 R 5/1961 France 244/114 R OTHER PUBLICATIONS Science and Invention, October 1927, Page 495 Primary Examiner-Duane A. Reger Assistant ExaminerGalen L. Barefoot Attorney-Laforest S. Saulsbury et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A floating landing strip of miniature size having floating supporting legs of a shape and spaced sufficiently from one another to withstand violent ocean currents, with the supporting legs long enough to impart buoyancy to the entire structure while concurrently including alarge amount of water in the base of the legs imparting stability to the entire structure even during violent storms, the upper pier structure including a tumtable air-strip having a series of aligned variable speed surfaces for facilitating take-off and landings of aircraft, together with series Of blowers and a series of baffles aligned along the series of variable speed airstrip surfaces such that the blowers and baffles are produceable of air currents further facilitatable of take-off and landings of air craft by directing the air current in the path and/or against lift surfaces of the aircraft, such as an airplane particularly of the jet plane variety.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDDEE m sum 16? 2 of extended runways in more than a singledirection;

there being a series of consecutive moving. surfaces of variable speeds and during anyiparticular take-off and.-

/or landing the speed of any. particular belt and/.orof. different belts or rollers oflthe series thereof vary in their rates of speed such that when, for example braking wheels of an aircraft during a landing-touch-down the landing surface belts, chains, or the li'keareactuallypreferably about stationary or moving oalyslightly in a direction opposite to that of the approaching? aircraft but rapidly begin increasing in intensity and/or the next adjacent belt of theseries is of increased rateof speed of movement toward gthe approaching. aircraft-, additionally there being in combination a series of consecutive blowers and respective baffles for directingair cur- Other objectsbecome apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

Oneor more of theabove. objects are obtained by the invention as described hereafter. I

Broadly the invention is d irected to a novel pier and pier, support structure in. combination with the rotatable turntable-carrying moving-belt landing strips and V blower-baffle structures of the parent application, the

rents from the blowers at predetermined prescribed angles variable from one angle to another during the approach of an aircraft or the take-off of anaircraft.

The present invention utilizes the same revolvable landing field together with its variablespeed belts and variable speed and. variable directional blowers and baffles, thepresent invention more particularly being directed to a novel and valuable advance inaircraft technology, making possible a floatable 'airport miles distant from land.

BACKGROUND,

Without the revolvable turntable and variable speed. belts and blower-baffles of the parent applicatiomsuch a floating airport would not be a practical structure and could not be reduced to reality because of the largesize I of such a floating airfield if the airfield were of conven-. tional construction and size Also, prior to this invention there hasbeen no adequate means provided norsuggested which would make possible such a structure to have necessary stability nor capable of resisting vio.-

lent ocean currents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to obtain ,a'floatable landing field by overcoming one and more of prior difficulties and/or problems.

Another object is to obtain a floatable landing'field of sufficiently small'size to have internal structural sta-.

blli'ty to resist breaking up ocean currents.

Another object is to obtain a floatable a high level of motion stability.

when exposed to torques of airfield having Another object isto obtain a floatable airfield, of a shape anddesign suitable for receiving and accommm dating a plurality of aircraft and of commuter sea vesnovel pier structure and support therefor including an upper structure supportable of the landing field mechanismsand the'support structure. including a plurality of spaced downwardly extending legs preferably of columnar shape providing sufficient hollow space within the respective legs to both include a major amount of water in the bottom portion of the leg spaces as well as having sufficient water tight space above the water in the legs to. provide sufficient buoyancy to the overall pier structureto floatably support the pier structure and the leg structures. The water within the base of the respective leg. structures is of a quantity sufficient to impart motion stability and resistance to violent ocean currents as well as the effect of winds against the upper pier structure, while'the' additional hollow leg space ab vqathestabilizing water in each respective leg is of -a sufficient- ;amount to impart the necessary buoyancy forfloating the entire structure. In preferred embodiments, surrounding the revolvablev turntable between at least twoof the extended strip. surfaces are one or more airplane. elevators for lowering and raising airplanes from and to the landingstn'p fromhangar decks below for the storage and/or loading and unloading of airplanes. Additional levels of the pier structure are optional for.,ticket office floors, baggage and control floors, logistic supplies, and the like. In one or more of theleg-structures, at a predetermined level at which water level would normally occur, are one or more ports suitable for. embarking and/or disembarking from water vessels such as hydrofoils, boats or the like, for

entry into the leg structures for a stairwell and/or eleva tojr. to the upper levels of the pier structure. Extending from one or more portions of the upper pier structure and/or one or more of the. leg structures are anchors securable the ocean or sea floor.,

By'virtue ofthis ivnention, it is possible safely to land or have take-ofi large numbers of aircraft considerable distances from land arid/or populated areas, thereby providingimproved safety to land-based population and businesses as well as avoiding pollutioncontamination of-air and sound (noise) pollution in populated areas. Additionally the lack of skyscraper buildings, homes, and the like provide improved safety to incoming and outgoing aircraft.

THE; FIGURES FIG. 1 is'a perspective side view of the floating minia:

turized landing field of this invention.

FIG. 2 is. an in-part view in cross-section of a floating leg support of the type disclosed in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a diagrammatic perspectiveview of a typical steel rotary belt system, illustrating the belt in.

broken-away view for a better illustrative view of the sels for transporting logistic materials and passengersto and from land;

Another objectis a floatable airfield of a structure providing storage facilities for aircraft, and/or logistic materials,-and/or passengers, and the like.

rotatable cylinders.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the floatable airfield structure 4 floating within the ocean waters 5. The. structure 4 includes broadly the upper rotatablepredetermined large amount of flow space between the legs for the free flowing of sea water Sin which the respective legs are floating. One or more of the legs includes an entrance 10 for sea-going vessels such as small shuttlecraft typically small boats and/or hydrofoils, or the like. One or more of the legs typically includes an anchoring structure such as anchor chain 11 secured to an anchor (not shown), extending to the ocean floor or the sea bed. The upper face of the upper strucure 8 includes typically the rotary turntable 6 rotatable within a peripheral area including landing field extensionsl2a, 12b, and 12c, 12d, and one or more freight and/or airplane hangar elevators 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d, the elevator 130 being shown in a lowered position thereby providing also a view of the lower hangar deck 14 typicallywith an aircraft l parked thereon. The rotary airfield turntable 6 and the rotary airfield belts 7a, 7b, 7c, for example, as well as the adjustable air baffles 16a and 16b are merely broadly represented since these parts of this invention are the sameas disclosed in the parent application Ser. No. 158,893 the disclosure thereof incorporated by reference above. Similarly, lights 17a and 17b, radar 18a and 18b, electric eyes, and the like are about the same and function the same as disclosed in the parent application. The plurality of decks such as 80, 8b, 8c, 8d, and 8e provide hangar space for airplanes, passenger space for waiting rooms, ticket offices, clerical offices, and the like, baggage and/or freight compartments, logistic supplies, restaurants, toilet facilites, and the like, as

might be desired and/or conventional for any conventional air terminal, except that many air terminal facilities for ticket offic'es of individual airlines and the like would be located at a main land based facility preferably. Typically any one or more of the decks such as 80 may have transparent walls 19 providing more adequate lighting within the hangar area.

The length of the legs 9a, 9b and 96, there being possible any number of a plurality of legs as might be found desirable and/or more feasible from an engineering standpoint, are possible, with the provision that however there be a large float space between the respective legs for the flowing of sea water 5. The legs are of hollow structure and to some extent may be utilized for additional storage facilities as well as have siairwells and- /or elevators therein for passengers and/or freight being brought in and out of the entrance of the respective legs. It should be noted that it is the extended length of these legs of a hollow water tight character that provides the necessary buoyancyfor floating the entire ter obtained with the structure floating above the sea or ocean bottom.

F IG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view shown in part of a typical leg 9 illustrating for example an air pump 20 connected with conduit 21 for pumping in and/or out air within the system preferably within an air-tight compartment 22 for forcing air into under pressure through conduit 23 in order to force out sea water 5a which normally is maintained preferably at a level 5b within the base 'of the" legs in order to offer improved stability to the overall structure. Water is forced out by virture of the valve 23 through conduits 24 and 25 being opened by manual lever 26 or by automatic control lead 27 connected to the air pump 20 The'walls 28 typically include a plurality of precast sections 28a, 28b, etc. reinforced by rods 29 such that construction thereof is facilitated. 2

FIG; 3 broadly represents a perspective view of a typical belt of the type more fully disclosed in the parent application, of a rotary nature for the landing thereon of aircraft. The mechanical drives, connections, and other engineering data and mechanisms may be of the type disclosed in the parent application and/or of any desired and/or conventional design and mechanism within the skill of the art. Typically the belt 30 is rotatable in either direction 31a or direction 31b at variable speeds, together with the coordinated action of air fans and ducts and flanges broadly represented in FIG. 1 at 16a located typically between consecutive belts but also possibly adjacent separate belts, it being possible to have any one of a-variety of belt systems in series and/or in parallel.

Other modifications and/or substitution of equivalent elements of about the same function as would be apparent to a person of ordinary mechanical and engineering skill are within the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A floatable airplane landing strip device comprising in combination: an upper pierstructure having extending downwardly therefrom a plurality of legstructure means spaced apart from one another and substantially free of interconnecting brace and buoyant structure between downwardly extending portions of said leg-structure means, providing for major substantially uninhibited flow of sea water therebetween through space free of interconnecting brace and buoyant structure between the downwardly extending legstructure means, each leg-structure means consisting essentially of a hollow structure having'pump means for pumping airinto and outof the hollow structure and being substantially air-tight and including valve" means for securing air-tightness and water-tightness of the hollow structure when the pump means is not in operation, and said each leg-structure means being of a predetermined major cross-section and extending downwardly a major predetermined distance sufficiently for each leg-structure means to constitute a principal buoyant member, said plurality of leg-structure means jointly being the primary buoyancy support of said upper pier structure; the pier structure including an upper surface airplane landing strip device comprising a central'substantially horizontal revolvable turntable means of substantial diameter along an upper diskshaped surface thereof, a plurality of landing strips diverging radially from said central turntable means, an upperface of said central turntable means including in series a plurality of adjacent belts and revolving means therefor providing a series of consecutive landing strips arranged end-to-end one behind the other in the linear course of the landing strip surface extending across said central turntable means, speed means for independent and variable-rate of movement of each of said series of belts within predetermined ranges of speed, and revolving means for intermittently revolving said central tumtable means such to align said series with one or more of said diverging landing stips; and including anchoring means.

2. The floatable airplane landing strip device of claim 1, including at least one passenger receiving port at a predetermined normal water level location in at least one of said leg structures, receivable of a sea vessel floating on water adjacent the port.

3. The floatable airplane landing strip device of claim 1, in which between at least two of the plurality of diverging landing strips at a position adjacent the tumtable means is located an airplane elevator for lowering floating on water adjacent the port. 

1. A floatable airplane landing strip device comprising in combination: an upper pier structure having extending downwardly therefrom a plurality of leg-structure means spaced apart from one another and substantially free of interconnecting brace and buoyant structure between downwardly extending portions of said leg-structure means, providing for major substantially uninhibited flow of sea water therebetween through space free of interconnecting brace and buoyant structure between the downwardly extending leg-structure means, each leg-structure means consisting essentially of a hollow structure having pump means for pumping air into and out of the hollow structure and being substantially air-tight and including valve means for securing air-tightness and water-tightness of the hollow structure when the pump means is not in operation, and said each leg-structure means being of a predetermined major cross-section and extending downwardly a major predetermined distance sufficiently for each leg-structure means to constitute a principal buoyant member, said plurality of leg-structure means jointly being the primary buoyancy support of said upper pier structure; the pier structure including an upper surface airplane landing strip device comprising a central substantially horizontal revolvable turntable means of substantial diameter along an upper disk-shaped surface thereof, a plurality of landing strips diverging radially from said central turntable means, an upper face of said central turntable means including in series a plurality of adjacent belts and revolving means therefor providing a series of consecutive landing strips arranged end-toend one behind the other in the linear course of the landing strip surface extending across said central turntable means, speed means for independent and variable-rate of movement of each of said series of belts within predetermined ranges of speed, and revolving means for intermittEntly revolving said central turntable means such to align said series with one or more of said diverging landing stips; and including anchoring means.
 2. The floatable airplane landing strip device of claim 1, including at least one passenger receiving port at a predetermined normal water level location in at least one of said leg structures, receivable of a sea vessel floating on water adjacent the port.
 3. The floatable airplane landing strip device of claim 1, in which between at least two of the plurality of diverging landing strips at a position adjacent the turntable means is located an airplane elevator for lowering and elevating airplanes from and to respective take-off and landing airstrips utilizing the revolvable turntable means.
 4. The floatable airplane landing strip device of claim 1, in which said pier structure includes a plurality of decks structured as airplane hangars, logistic storage areas, and people-accommodating facilities.
 5. The floatable airplane landing strip device of claim 1, including at least one passenger receiving port at a predetermined normal water level location in at least one of said leg structures, receivable of a sea vessel floating on water adjacent the port. 